JFA says Zaccheroni’s job safe ahead of World Cup

Japan Football Association technical director Hiromi Hara gave national team coach Alberto Zaccheroni a vote of confidence Thursday, suggesting his job was not in danger ahead of next year’s World Cup finals in Brazil after a pair of disappointing defeats in Eastern Europe.

Zaccheroni has come under pressure after two toothless performances by the Asian champions, whose 2-0 defeat to Serbia on Friday was followed by a 1-0 reverse to Belarus on Tuesday.

But speaking to reporters after returning home with the Italian coach and the squad’s J. League players, Hara insisted there were no plans for a change of coach.

“It is a fact that (the team) did not play well but this is not a time to react nervously,” he said. “We are not going to change our way of thinking on the basis of two matches.”

JFA president Kuniya Daini added, “It’s not like (the team’s performances) were a complete disaster.

“The team struggled but the players just have to keep trying. When we find out what exactly is going wrong we can deal with it. The biggest problem is that things just don’t seem to be going well.”